While not a frequent concert goer, I visited this venue recently and had a great time! The vibes are great and the lighting + sound were good. The bartender was nice the night I went, too! read more

Local 506 - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Fuji is thee best owner ever. He is hosting an event this weekend that is going to take off in Chapel Hill over the next few years. JawsFest - I volunteered to be on the dunk tank from 2 pm to 3 pm this weekend 05/26/2024, come on by to dunk me for a good cause. We've got vendors, games, music, drinks, food, etc. what else could you need!? Fuji is so personable and kind, he has created a great bar that people want to come and hang. If you get a chance to stop by and say hey, make sure to say hey to Fuji the owner as well. He will make your day! read more

Local 506 - 506 Lager - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Went here for a concert, venue was awesome! Great atmosphere, sound set up was solid. We were packed in but it was amazing overall. Thanks guys so much! read more

See all

I love the Local 506! There's a great pizza place next to it, and whenever me and my friends and I see a show here, we stop next door and grab pizza and have some before the show. Local 506 is a very low-key spot. They have drinks and a few seats. The stage is a good height, and you can see everything on the stage pretty well. I really like how intimate the space is, I always get to speak with the musicians after the show, which is awesome. Can't wait to go to another show here. read more

Local 506 - a band performing on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

really fun and best venue I've been to yet. Show was sold out so it was packed but I got there early and managed to snag a seat. read more

See all

Awesome venue, super intimate. Saw Oso Oso here, they sounded great and the bartender was very kind. All the staff were really helpful and polite. Heads up though, they exclusively have gender neutral bathrooms and the one furthest from the entrance has a urinal, so if that's uncomfortable for anyone I'd recommend using the bathroom closest to the front door. Drinks were cheap and great for the price. 10/10. read more

Super cool spot. went for a show (strawberry girls, tang, standards, moondough & celeste? i believe) $1 membership, good forever, reasonably priced beers/drinks. plus free popcorn. bartender was super cool & for the venue space it was pretty good for the amount of people but i could imagine if it were a more popular artists/band it would've been packed. All in all a good time & good people behind the scenes running it read more

Saw Moonwalker here, loved the vibe!! Free water was an insanely nice perk, all the staff were super nice, and I had an INCREDIBLE time!! Seems like a Speer cool hangout spot, wish I didn't live over an hour away read more

See all

Small venue for small shows. If you're not buying a drink from a can/bottle, don't even bother because the mixed drinks are gross. Employees are decent I guess. read more

One of my favorite venues of all, ever. These people consistently book amazing shows. The room always sounds great and they treat bands well. 1000% recommend. read more

Amazing Chapel Hill spot! Lovely place to appreciate live music in an intimate setting. Staff and bartender are super friendly, and artists (at least ones I've seen) are always accessible and happy to interact with fans, or are otherwise polite. Despite the casual ambience, the space is clean and amazing to look around, with eclectic artwork and funky lighting. The concert space is mostly standing room, with padded benches and tables around the perimeter. Definitely worth a visit in town, and a dedicated checking for favorite bands if local to CH! read more

Local 506 - Artist (Marielle Kraft) performing on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

Cool venue! This was my first visit to Local 506. I came here with a group of friends to see Dance With The Dead and Gost back in late October. Parking is pretty convenient in this area [for a Tuesday night at least]. I wish that the "one-time $2 membership fee" was advertised a little better on the event's Facebook page, but you only have to pay it once, so no biggie! The atmosphere wasn't bad at all, just your typical divey bar! The bartender was very nice and attentive, and basic cocktails were priced very fair. There are water jugs lined up near the bathrooms so you can get free water. Nice! The venue space in the back was roomy, with some places to sit along the walls. I had a great time when the show started. The space actually can fit a lot of people, but it didn't feel too crowded. It had the right amount of intimacy and chaos. Sound system worked super great, but then again, I was right in the front, so of course it sounded great to me, haha. Next time my favorite artists are playing here, I will definitely come give this place another visit! read more

Local 506 is a GREAT little spot for local indy rock acts out in Chapel Hill. Dark, small and a bit mysterious, it pulls in a young, mixed crowd looking for good music. You'll definitely see quite a few beards and plaid shirts here. Drinks are reasonably priced, they've got seating around the edge of the main room and acoustics are really solid. They play it loud here, but I've rarely heard any distortion or feedback, kudos to their sound man. Let's just say that you can do far worse than Local 506 for some live music. Smaller than the Pourhouse but just about as cool, Local 506 rocks it hard. Pass me over a PBR... read more

Local 506 - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

The last word in Chapel Hill dive bar/music venues. This place makes the Cat's Cradle look like Madison Square Garden. The venue is tiny in every way, it's dirty and dark and creepy... Believe me, this is the beating heart of the American music industry. Without venues like this, we would be truly lost. The bands that come here are hungry, and often quite good (it can be really hit or miss, though). read more

Local 506 - the location of local 506 - Music Venues Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Concert last night with NO AC and they were still charging $2 for a bottled water. It's 100 degrees outside, it's just not safe. It was actually cooler outside than in. They did try to set up coolers with free water, but it was warm which doesn't really help. They also posted the wrong start time on their Facebook for the concert. Bathrooms were pretty clean for a music venue. read more

I recognize that those of you who live in the Triangle area may read certain aspects of this place and find yourself saying "well, sure, I knew that already," and who knows, perhaps you did. If we get to that point soon you'll know, in which case perhaps I could have just asked you what Local 506 was like but then we'd each be spared the singular pleasure of this account, and we wouldn't want that. I digress. Here's what I can say for sure: this narrow live music venue seems to book solid bands (as opposed to, say, liquid or gaseous ones) and though I didn't make the drive from Raleigh one night to Chapel Hill with a keen sense of where in the world I was going, I was only too happy to find this music lover's hamlet on my ultimate agenda. Here's me raising a glass to happy accidents. In the mean time, there are plenty of chances to raise glasses here too: a nice and thorough selection of brews (local and otherwise), a few on tap, giving way to a stage in the back of the joint where the act du jour can pop up and let 'er rip. For those of you who have been to Austin, a little like a somewhat smaller and marginally less sketchy Emo's that books the same quality of acts. So nothing to sneeze about. Besides, you wouldn't want to sneeze anyway: you just might miss something good. read more

506 has style. Loud and dirty style. 506 is smaller in comparison to it's down street competitor venue, The Cat's Cradle, although this size works for this venue. There's not a bad seat in the house and it makes shows much more intimate. I love the fact that there is ample seating surrounding the main stage floor space so if people want to get a drink and rock out while perched atop the side wall seats you're more than able to. Like Cat's the door and bar are CASH ONLY. An ATM is kindly placed inside for your cash needs but if you want to avoid ATM fees, come with money. Unlike Cat's, to get in you will need a membership ($3 sign up). Unlike some places in Downtown Raleigh one person with a membership will *not* get your friends in with you so be prepared to drop the $3 at the door if you don't have a card. A friend asked if you could take a picture of the card and carry it on your phone for re-entry instead of carrying the actual card and they said this was A-OK. According to Andrew R's review they also have a list of members on hand at the door if you forget your card. Smart cookies!! Drink prices are terribly reasonable -- a well drink cost me $4 on a Saturday night while a pint (Shotgun Betty - local beer FTW!) ran around $5 (according to my in-head breakdown of prices based on 2 pints and a well). If I'm wrong, please correct me. They do sell ear plugs for $1 and I advise picking up a pair if you don't have your own already. The music can get LOUD (which music is supposed to do obviously) but you don't have to walk out ears ringing to enjoy a good show! The one thing that blew me away here were the acoustics. Absolutely stunning. I strongly recommend this venue for a band. Especially a band you absolutely love because you'll get to see more of them, on and off stage. read more

Love this place a lot. Great music venue for smaller acts, but every now and again they have a really good act on schedule. The crowd is really chill and there's a lot of space to dance, mingle, people watch and hang out. I love going here to support local artists in the area. read more

Keeping it simple, and that is alright! Local 506 is the place to see your favorite local, regional, national, and sometimes even international acts up close and personal. And I do mean up close and personal. The venue itself is pretty small, which is excellent, and it does have somewhat of a dive-bar feel (which is even more excellent). As mentioned in some prior reviews, where you situate yourself is obviously key (as it is at any music event). If the club is crowded, it can get pretty hot and loud up front (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) whereas it can be difficult to see in the back where the club narrows from the main room towards the bar. So somewhere towards the back of the front area or into the middle area is probably your best bet for purposes of seeing the band and being comfortable overall. There is also a small amount of bench type seating on either side of the main hall and in the back, which can be an excellent option if you are not on the tall side (and I am not!). The staff is super nice as whoever is manning the door or working the bar is usually up for striking a conversation pretty readily. The beer selection isn't the best in the world, but it's decent enough. Plus since it's a membership bar, you can get your choice of mixed drinks as well. Important Points: 1) It is a membership bar, which means you pay a once in a lifetime fee of $3 to obtain a membership card -I've heard that people have gotten a hard time if they've shown up without their membership card, but my girlfriend actually had her wallet (and membership card) stolen before a show and the staff was more than willing to let her in without her card 2) Cash only bar (but there is an ATM) 3) Street parking or Chapel Hill lot parking read more

I'm a big fan of Local 506. While I think many tours are now being directed to different, or newer venues like Cat's Cradle back room, Motorco, Neptunes, and Kings, there's still a handful of great shows that run through here. Not much has changed at the venue. You can order your favorite liquor drink, or there's a good selection of domestic and craft beer. There used to be some video games near the bar, but those have now moved out (maybe to The Baxter, which is around the corner). They still fill up a couple of water coolers, so you don't have to bug the bartender for aqua. The venue itself is a bit of a dive, but it's well-maintained. The sound system is good. The bathrooms are basic, but in full working order. There are seats along the sides; you'll want to get there a little early to grab one of those. Local 506 requires membership so they can serve liquor in addition to beer. It's a North Carolina law, so get over it. Tip: Take a picture of your card and keep it on your phone. They don't mind this since everyone has a unique membership number. read more

Local 506 has heart...heart and a penchant for booking good music even if it wont always draw a huge crowd. Some things you should probably know: -If you are towards the front it can get a bit heat & noise intense but if you are towards the back the long narrow flow of the space can sometimes make it difficult to see if you aren't super tall. Find some middle ground and enjoy an awesome, likely off-the-mainstream show. -There is generally a cooler of water by the restrooms. You don't always need to shell out for the bottled water at the bar. -You need to buy a membership, but i think its $3 and as long as you don't lose the card it's a one time fee. -The willcall line can get longer than the line to buy tickets. But you know what, it is an awesome venue and I have driven a few hours on a work night more than once to come see some stellar shows. Check the dang schedule, y'all. read more

I am a HUGE fan of Local 506! They are at the top of the list with Cat's Cradle and Kings. They bring such great shows through the area! Yes, it's a little dingy, a lot dark and some acts tend to draw some sloppy college kids... but as far as I'm concerned that's all part of the show! And while this shotgun bar's layout affords an intimate and personal experience, if the crowd is off...well... Last show I was at, I had dumb girls yelling about boys & bags over my shoulder through the main band's set and at another point there was a 5 foot tall 'bad-ass' guy fist-pumping a finger-gun and yelling 'buck, buck, buck' and 'GO HAAARD!' at regular intervals...very special...but you know what? I put my big girl pants on and moved on up in the crowd to a better spot and enjoyed the rest of the show. Another tactic to avoid this special kind of concert-goer is to get there when doors open and perch on one of the nice tabled seats that line the sides of the venue. Very good idea if you're there as a couple or are wearing unfortunate shoes. My plan is to buy some serious platform gothed-out stompin' boots! That'll show those tall dudes and dangerous-dancers! PS - Andrew W.'s tip about earplugs is essential. ESSENTIAL. PSS - $2 PBR tallboys... read more

This place is tiny and simple so there isn't a bad spot in the house. It's a perfect place to see an intimate show. You do need to buy a "membership" to get in the door ($3) and the bar is cash only. They have some local beers on tap which made me happy. It's street parking only, but I've never had an issue finding a spot. It's mostly standing room with some seating built in against the walls. It can get hot since it's so small so keep that in mind, even in the winter months. The staff has always been nice. I've forgotten my membership card but they've never complained since they have the list on a laptop at the door. read more

Local 506 is my savior. Staying in Chapel Hill for 3 weeks and not knowing anyone would have amounted to misery had it not been for the sonic gems adorning this place. It's one of those charming divey bar/venues where the beers are "middle of the road" and the touring acts are on the cusp of getting noticed by someone you wish hadn't noticed them. There are clever flyers and band stickers decorating the place. Capcom by the bar. And the bartender is friendly to boot! What more do I need to say? Nothing better than catching a good band play in an uncrowded venue, drinking a Two Hearted Ale and it all costing $15. read more

They have great bands coming through, but a very poorly maintained "database" (read: excel sheet) of members. Another negative, they are cash only. I went one night and didn't have my membership card and I knew I had one. They looked me up in their excel spreadsheet (which they didn't have when I got my membership a couple of years ago) and couldn't find me. I pay another $3-5 for a new card. I come home and my original membership card is right by the door, where I put my keys. So yeah, not a comprehensive "database" of members. Drinks are a bit over-priced, ok selection, but honestly, I just go for the music. Sometimes it's filled with the UNC frat-hipster crowd and I feel old. Bathrooms are usually well maintained and they do have big water jugs out. I don't think anyone gets drunk as it's live music, not a club. Plus $$$ drinks. It gets very hot temperature wise for popular bands. They need better fans. read more

This was a wonderful little place, and I do mean little. Maybe the same square footage as the first floor of a decent home it was certainly cozy, but that's part of the charm. Front half of the building is bar and bathrooms, back half is the actual music venue. It's always fun getting to see a show at a place like this. You really feel like you're part of the show when it's less than ten feet to the stage. Not a bad seat in the house! (Keep in mind its mostly standing room, but there are a few seats along the edge of the room.) The Staff was great, from the folks checking tickets up front to the awesome guy running the stage lighting. My only minor complaints are that the A.C. system could probably use a little upgrade (it gets real warm real fast in there) and I wish the bathrooms were nicer. All in all the pros far outweigh the cons and I'd love to see another show here. read more

I am all about small venues. I am all about dive bars. So you can bet...I am all about Local 506. Recently, attended a show here - for a rock&roll legend.. shocked to see this kind-of square footage hosting such an event! Shows represented here range all over the music spectrum, majority being traveling indie/alt genre. If you're like me -- you are anti-large venues b/c they tend to lose the intimacy/experience of seeing an artist you respect live... Local 506 retains this quality with its dive bar feel... I love it. Important info: Cash only bar, $3 membership fee at door (regardless of pre-purchased ticket), pre-pay parking lot across the street is free after 8pm read more

A grimy, unpretentious dive music venue in Chapel Hill. It does require a membership card, which costs a few bucks. It's a small, intimate venue, and I've been to shows where I was one of only two people in the audience, and been to shows where I was a packed sardine. Sometimes a violent mosh pit develops, so if you're a small female like myself, you may want to bring your helmet and elbow pads...or strategically place yourself outside the circumference of the mosh pit. The bartenders have always been friendly and efficient, and the crowd is unique. Lots of misfits. I feel at home amongst them, and can dance like an enraged, electrocuted maniac without judgment. read more

We really enjoyed our visit at Local 506! We saw Sean Lennon when he came to town in early January. The doorman attempted to get us in out of the cold as quickly as he could and there was a free coat check available! It's a great small, intimate venue. Seating is available around the perimeter, provided you get there earlier enough on busier nights. Local brews are available on tap for reasonable prices. Keep an eye on their schedule and check out a band that suits your fancy! read more

Once you get past the $3 membership (required by NC State law if you want to sell liqueur), and the cash only "gotcha" bar for those, myself included, that don't roll around with much cash in their wallet, it's a great spot to catch a show. Their drink specials are OK, but if you want to maximize your dollars or upgrade your night, you may want to think about hitting up Beer Study (new beer bar around the corner) or Carolina Brewery (just up the road, more traditional) for something awesome. The location holds ~250 people, but be warned, many high profile events will bring small crowds, which is a bonus if you love more intimate venues. Regarding the attitude, I didn't notice any this week when I hit up their show. read more

$3 membership, not sure for what exactly. To me, it's not a good enough venue to be exclusively needing membership. The show I went to was free (excluding the membership price), but I would feel bad for people who actually had to pay ticket prices on top of the membership price. The bar is cash only (come on, it's 2012....every dive bar I've been to in NC will take at least VISA). They do offer an ATM but of course, there's a $2.50 fee associated with it. So I basically paid $5.50 in order to get cash to purchase my drinks. If I could have opened a tab I could have used that money for my drinks instead! With that said, the drink specials were good and what I would expect for a smaller venue, and the bartender was nice. I'm not going to go out of my way to go back unless there's a band I really want to see playing there....and even then, I'll check to make sure they don't have any more NC dates so I could go to a more accommodating venue. read more

Local 506 is a staple, a brilliant fold in the musical culture of the Triangle. I've had the pleasure of seeing multiple artists perform here, so I can say that it is definitely one of the coolest places to hear your favorite jams. Local 506 has a nice mix of local and national musical acts, plus an interesting mix of other events that they host. The space does seem a little strange your first time there, but it really does allow for a great show, regardless of genre. I've seen acoustic folk and I've seen post-hardcore -- both shows ended up being amazing. Even though I might have gotten stuck behind tall people at some point, I still heard the music and that's what mattered. If you live in the Triangle, make an effort to be a part of the music scene and see a show here. Sidenote: they had a fair beer selection as well. read more

Love the Local 506. It is drenched in music history (and sometimes beer) and just feels like a rock club should. I've gone to dozens of shows there over the years and I can't remember a bad one (even the night Funland played 45 minutes for ten people was cool--if you're one of 10 people in the crowd they are going to play your request). The sound is always good--and not too loud, shows starts when advertized, good drinks and beer selection, free water, working bathrooms--that's about what we look for in a rock club. I understand people's frustration over the membership fee, but that's an NC State legislature issue, not a Local 506 profit center. And regarding people's other big gripe about not taking plastic, remember two things: a small business has to pay a transaction fee on credit charges and that means they pass on the cost to you in higher prices, so bring some cash and keep prices low. The second is that I learned long ago that if you buy drinks with cash, you'll do a much better job of managing your personal finances. So if you want to get sweaty and up close with some great live music check out their website and just spend 30 minutes checking out some of the bands-- you may discover somebody you never heard of that you really love. Support live music and tip your bartender. read more

I would only ever go here again to see a great band. Luckily, when I went I did see a great band, so it made this lame venue not so bad. First off the $3 membership fee for... no reason at all. The best part was, when purchasing my tickets on-line they seem to forget to tell you about this fee. The alcohol selection is rather limited and when I ordered a Jameson on the rocks, it came in a plastic cup with no ice. Their best beer was New Castle (which is ok). There is not really any snack items to get here, however there are plenty of eateries near by. There is rather sparse seating. It gets really hot when crowded. The hot water in the bathroom doesn't work. But at least they have free water! read more

You don't go here for the ambience, expensive beer, nor the concierge. You've come for the show; remember that, hold your breath, and you'll be fine. read more

Haven't been here since "membership" came into play (just thinking about that makes me laugh), but I've seen a slew of really cool shows at the 506... including the Drive-By Truckers twice & both times there were 40 or less people in the place. Reminds me a bit of the Mercury Lounge in NYC in it's layout... narrow bar in front, small performance space in back. Sound is pretty good even for louder stuff. I've frequented most of the venues operating in the Triangle area dating back to the mid 90's through a couple/few years ago, and this is the one I found the most enjoyable. It's imperfections are what rock 'n' roll is all about. Maybe it's just the bands I've seen & the time of year I've been there, but the draws always seem surprisingly thin on UNC students. I recall membership being required at certain establishments in NC (dates back to the early days of the Blue Horn Lounge when the owner explained it to me when I played there), and I think that's kind of ridiculous unless it really does help these places financially vs.just being another bookkeeping nightmare for them to track. read more

We came here for the comedy fest, and I'm glad we came early. There really is not much sitting room. If you come for a concert, that's ok, but for a comedy show they could have rented some chairs. Other than that, its a pretty standard dive bar. read more

Awesome small and intimate place to see a show. There isn't much of a back stage, so the band is bound to walk through the crowd. It is very small so if it crowded it's hot as hell. A lot of the shows are non-smoking but I think you are allowed to smoke in the bar area. F.Y.I: You need a membership to get in which is only 3 bucks and is good for 3 years. read more

Fun little venue for live music. We went to see Truth & Salvage Co. We got there around 9, in time to see the 2nd opening act. I like the set up - the small area at the front for merch, the bar area decent selection, and then the stage and surrounding room, with elevated benches in the back. We'd eaten a large meal, had several pints, and it was later than I was used to being awake, so I curled up in the corner bench and took a short nap between acts. Sound was louder than I'd prefer, but they do sell earplugs at the bar for the old folks like me. $3 membership, as required by NC law, but at least it's good forever (or as long as you keep up with the paper membership card). read more

Local 506 is an eclectic bar that manages to attract a wide variety of consistently high quality musical acts to Chapel Hill. The bar itself isn't overly impressive, but it's not the booze that draws big crowds. It seems that week after week Local 506 manages to draw truly good music despite unimpressive facilities. The crowd tends to be a mix of students, locals, and die hard fans of whoever is playing that night. Acts are local and national, and mostly good. There is adequate space for seated viewing perched above the main crowd area where things stay very lively. The music, combined with a full bar should make for a great night out. read more